Happy Birthday
by jelispar
Summary: Sequal to Big Sister, Today is Celeste's 7th birthday, today she becomes a big girl. So why isn't anyone paying attention to her?


AN: The next installment, about three months after Big Sister. Celeste is nagging me about becoming a 'big girl,' and with the way she seems to be handling herself I think she's well on her way. Tell me what you think? (BTW: let me know if you think there should be a third new family member at some point, because Celeste "REEEAAALLYYY" wants another baby even though Laurel is still tiny.) Characters excluding Celeste, Michael, Kristen, and Laurel do not belong to me, the aforementioned characters do, and if you would like to write an installment in their life e-mail me and let me know (e-mail located in profile). Otherwise....Enjoy.

"Happy Birthday to ME! Happy Birthday to ME!" Celeste shouted, running through the streamers that decorated the doorways into the large dining room of the mansion; her arms outstretched to catch any that were within reach. "Uncle Warren, guess what?!" She screeched at her newest victim.

Warren stood there and looked at her for a second before answering. "The circus finally noticed you were missing, and they're coming back for you?" He teased, ruffling her hair as he passed.

"NOOOO!" She shouted, giggling. "Today is my birthday!" And with that she fell backwards onto her beanbag chair that had been sitting in the corner all morning so she could oversee the decorating process.

"Darlin', trust me," Rogue said over her shoulder, trying to change Laurel's diaper while the baby squirmed, reaching for the balloon strings. "Everybody in the Western Hemisphere knows its yoah birthday." Warren laughed and started taping the ends of the strings to the ceiling so they'd be out of the way. "Celeste, shugah, why don't yah go tell yoah Daddy he can bring the plates an' stuff in now please."

"Sure, Momma." Celeste yelled and took off at a run for the kitchen.

"Ah swear, Laurel, yoah sister is gonna drive me stark ravin' mad before this day is ovah." Laurel just blew spit bubbles in reply. "Exactly."

* * * * *

"Daaaaa-ddyyyyyy," Celeste yelled all the way through the pantry and into the kitchen proper.

"Quoi?" Remy shouted back, crossly. As far as he was concerned, his little angel had turned into a birthday brat the second the clock struck 12:01 am, when she had unceremoniously woken them to announce that she was officially seven. Right now he was running one hour of sleep after staying up late to put together his 'little angel's' birthday surprise, and he was not happy about it. "Celeste, if y' keep shoutin' like dis I'm officially cancellin' dis party. Now what d'ya want?"

"'M sorry, Daddy." She whimpered at the floor, bottom lip trembling. "Momma just asked me to tell you to bring in the plates and stuff when you're ready. I won' shout no more, I promise."

Remy just sighed, it was that lip trembling thing that got him every single time. "I'm sorry, 'tite." He said, picking her up and putting her in his lap. "Daddy's jus' real tired and stressed right now. I didn' mean t' yell at ya." He plopped her back down on the floor, and stood to get the place settings from the top of the fridge. "Go tell y' Momma I be right dere."

"'K Daddy." Celeste replied with a grin. "MOMMAAAAA!"

"Merde!" Remy covered his ears while she ran out of the room shrieking. "Dear Lord, please grant me the strength not to kill dis child before de day is over."

* * * * *

As far as Celeste was concerned her birthday was going almost perfectly. Sure there had been that minor problem when Daddy brought in purple plates and yellow napkins instead of yellow plates and purple napkins like she had wanted, but that had been solved easily. Momma just convinced Daddy that driving down to the store for new plates and napkins was easier than "listenin' ta that child for the rest of the day." Daddy had said something in French and left with a really mean look on his face.

But now the table looked pretty, her dress looked pretty, and her presents looked bigger than last year. Almost everybody had come too. Uncle Bobby was there with his friend Kristen who stayed over a lot. Aunt Emma had come from Boston with Michael and brought her a tiara. She had also brought Uncle Sean, Jubilee, Ev, Angelo, and Paige with her. Celeste didn't know the older kids too well, but they all brought presents, so they were okay in her book. Aunty Stormy was talking with Uncle Hank, Aunt Cecilia and her Chuck. Momma was talking to Aunt Betsy and Uncle Warren, probably about the wedding that Celeste was hoping to win the flower girl part in. Uncle Logan was eating one of his 'stoo-jeez', and looking mean as always. Daddy was talking with Uncle Kurt, Nathan and Uncle Sam, probably about making cars go fast. Laurel was asleep and Uncle Joseph wasn't invited, Daddy had said so. Now only Uncle Scott and Aunt Jean needed to come with Rachel so that Celeste could open her presents and eat her cake.

Nobody had really seen Rachel yet, Uncle Scott and Aunt Jean had moved to a new house before the baby was born so they could give her a 'normal life.' Momma and Daddy didn't seem to like it when Uncle Scott or Aunt Jean talked about giving Rachel a 'normal life' too much, but they wouldn't tell her why. "Oh Jean, let me see her," were the words that let Celeste know it was time to open presents.

"Daddy, Daddy, Daddy!" She shouted, running for him because he was closest, and more importantly most likely to say 'yes.' "Aunt Jean an' Uncle Scott are here. Can I open presents now?"

Daddy shook his head though and said no. "Give y' Aunt an' Uncle a chance t' get t'rough de door first, punkin. I promise we'll open dose presents."

"Okay Daddy." Celeste frowned, and went back to sit down near her Chuck. "Chuck!" Celeste whined, climbing onto his big yellow chair. "Daddy won't let me open presents yet."

"I think your Daddy is right." Chuck said, patting her on the head. "Once everybody calms down I'm sure you'll have more presents to open than you'll know what to do with."

The problem was that things didn't calm down. All the grown-ups did was sit there and pass Rachel around like a 'hot terpado,' whatever that was supposed to mean. Even Momma and Daddy got in on the act. "Oh Jean, she's beautiful." Momma said, tickling the little baby, who hadn't even gotten to the point where she stopped being funny looking yet.

"Don' get any ideas, chere." Daddy said in the teasing voice that he used when he was kidding. "Y' got a little 'un right over dere. We don' need anot'er one."

Momma pretended to frown when Daddy said that. "Ah know, but ah miss 'em bein' this tiny." And Momma even kissed the baby's hands. Then Laurel woke up and the grown-ups started passing both babies around.

Momma and Daddy didn't know it, but Michael had taught Celeste how to read time, and the big hand had moved from the two to the four already, and nobody had even brought her cake out yet. Celeste wanted to cry, but Daddy had told her that big girls didn't cry when they didn't get their way so Celeste left. She made it all the way out to the swing set before she noticed Michael following her. "Go 'way Michael, I'm having a bad day." She shouted at him. Michael just shrugged and sat down on the swing next to her.

"Wanna hear a story?" Michael asked after Celeste didn't make a move to punch him in the eye again. She didn't answer so Michael started telling it anyway. "I was almost three years old when you were born, so I remember it really good." He said, and still Celeste didn't say anything. "When I was really little, your Dad was my favorite Uncle. He'd take me out for ice cream and take me to the zoo. One time he even took me to a car show, I have a picture of that day." Celeste looked up at him, curiously. "Then, two days before my third birthday you were born, and all anybody could do was talk about how cute you were all day long. I hated you!"

"But...but you're my friend, Michael." Celeste whimpered.

"Oh, don't cry. I don't hate you now." Celeste sniffled, but no tears fell so he continued. "You got more presents on my birthday than I did! I got so mad Mom had to end the party early because I threw a temper tantrum and wouldn't come out of my room until you left. And even worse, you stole my favorite Uncle! Once you were born Uncle Remy was too busy to take me places or do boy things anymore." Michael shrugged, and looked out onto the pond. "But I got over it. You're a lot of fun, shrimp. Maybe someday Rachel and Laurel will be fun too, give 'em a chance."

* * * * *

"Alright Celeste, y' ready to blow out your candles?" Remy asked over the massive cake that he and Bobby were carrying into the room. "Celeste, punkin?" He asked again when he got no answer.

"Remy, shugah, Ah thought she went with you to git the cake?" Rogue asked from the couch, where she sat with Laurel in her arms.

"Non, chere." Remy answered, dread filling every inch of his body. "I t'ought she was wit you 'n de baby." Comfortable chatter had now died as the people in the room overheard the parents' conversation. "'Ave any of you seen Celeste?" He asked, hope and panic warring in his eyes as he watched all the heads in the room shake 'no.'

Without a word Rogue passed Laurel to Paige and took off at a sprint out the door, Remy right on her heels. "Celeste?!" She shouted, hearing her husband echo her cries in different parts of the house. "Celeste baby, come out! Shugah where are you!"

Within minutes Bobby answered their cries. "Rogue, we can't find Michael either!"

Then Remy was back with her, slowing her down with his arms. "Chere, she not in our rooms, she not in de bathrooms, she not in de rec-rooms either. Y' don t'ink..." His sentence was cut off by a telepathic message from the Professor.

__

Both children are fine, they are on the swing set. Then he paused for a second, and returned with a mental laugh ringing through their heads. _Celeste seems rather chagrined that '_her Chuck' _was able to find her, and she tells me she'll come back inside when she's good and ready._

Rogue's eyes flashed at that comment. _Oh no, Charles. You tell her that her Mother says to get her butt back in this house before I carry it in myself_.

__

Let her be, Rogue. The Professor answered. _She's very upset right now, especially with you and Remy. She thinks you forgot about her at her own party on her own birthday_. Then the mental laugh returned. _She's thinking of joining the circus_.

"Warren has to stop puttin' dose ideas in 'er head." Remy muttered.

* * * * *

It had been a while since her Chuck had talked in her head. Michael had been very quiet since. Then he sighed and pulled something out of his pocket. "Here." He said and shoved it in her face.

"What is it?" She asked him, looking at the crumpled paper ball in wonder.

"It's your birthday isn't it?" He asked her angrily. "I gotcha a present." That said he stood up and walked back toward the house.

Celeste carefully unwrapped the scotch tape that surrounded what might have once been a brown paper bag. With that done, she unfolded the coarse paper until she could see something glinting in the sunlight. "A watch! Michael got me a watch!" Celeste shouted gleefully, jumping off the swing and spinning around in a circle. "I got a watch for my birthday!"

"Who'd ya get a watch from?" Momma's voice asked behind her. Celeste didn't answer, just stood not facing her Mother. "Baby, I'm sorry." Momma said, and got down on her knees so she was at eye level and spun Celeste around. "Daddy n' I messed up yoah birthday. It was supposed to be yoah special day n' we practically forgot all about ya." Celeste still didn't say anything. "Honey, when you ran off yoah Daddy n' Ah were so worried that somethin' had happened to you. We'd nevah, evah completely forget about you, you know that right?"

Finally Celeste nodded yes, and let Momma hug her tight. "Momma?" She asked, before the hug had even ended.

"What shugah?" Momma asked back.

"Can I open my presents now?"

Momma laughed at that. "Baby, yah can open anythang ya little heart desires soon as we git back in tha house. Now who gave yah that watch? It looks like one o' them happy meal toys."

"It is not!" Celeste shouted. "Its my birthday watch, Michael gave it to me."

* * * * *

In Celeste's esteemed opinion the presents had been worth the wait. First she opened the one from Uncle Hank. She wished now she'd saved that for last, because Uncle Hank always got her the coolest presents. This one was a telescope so she could look at the stars and the moon. Daddy said she could set it up in her room so she could watch out her window. Aunty Stormy's came next, and it was something for her room, a wind chime that made tinkly noises when it moved. Aunty said it hung in your window and made music when the wind blew. Celeste was getting a little anxious though, she only had so many windows in her room, and a whole bunch of presents to go. Next was Jubilee's present, it was a kit to make cool looking jewelry out of paper. Nathan got her some new cap guns. Aunt Emma brought her new dress up clothes to go with the tiara. Ev and Angelo had both got her Barbie dolls that she politely said thank you for but hoped Momma would return for her. Uncle Warren and Aunt Betsy got these Spy Goggles that let you see in the night, those were almost as cool as the telescope. Her Chuck bought her some really neat looking new books, and from the words that Celeste knew, they looked like fairy tales, her favorite. Uncle Sam and Paige got her this thing called Spin-Art. It looked really neat, but Momma didn't seem too happy to see it. Uncle Joseph had sent her a present, which Daddy didn't seem too happy to see. It was an erector set that built robots. It went really nice with Aunt Cecilia's present of Legos. Uncle Scott and Aunt Jean gave her the usual, a card with money in it and clothes. Uncle Kurt bought her a new yellow dress and a new float for the pool. Uncle Bobby and Kristen bought her an easel, which was very cool. Uncle Sean gave her a Skip-It that she couldn't wait to try out. Uncle Logan got her this little doll in a case, he said it was called a 'catcheema doll,' the Indians made them to call for the protection of good spirits, whatever that meant. Momma and Daddy thought it was a wonderful present, and Celeste thought the doll was pretty neat. Lastly Momma and Daddy got her a lot of clothes, a new jump rope, some books, and a stepping stool, painted to match her room so that Celeste could reach the top of her bookshelf without help. Then at the bottom of the pile was a big box that Momma said was from Laurel. Celeste shrugged and opened it anyway to find it was filled with diapers, bottles, bibs, pacifiers, and other things that babies needed. "Ya always sayin' ya big enough ta help, shugah. Ah guess Laurel agrees with yah, y'all are a big girl now."

Just then Daddy came back into the room, Celeste didn't even know he'd left. That's what happens when your Daddy is a 'teef,' whatever that is. "An' big girls, get big girl presents. Why don' y' come out here an' take a look."

Celeste got a big smile on her face and bolted out into the hallway, with half her family on her tail. "A BIKE! I GOT A BIKE FOR MY BIRTHDAY!!!!!" Before anybody could stop her she was up and on the seat, then she looked down. "A TWO WHEELER!!" She looked at anybody close enough to make eye contact with. "I'm gonna learn how to ride a two wheeler, like a big girl!"


End file.
